Russian city gets to play 'Stalin wasn't so bad' six days a year

Russian city gets to play 'Stalin wasn't so bad' six days

The Russian city of Volgograd has decided that, for six days a year, it will revert to being named Stalingrad.

The idea, allegedly, is to please World War II veterans who associate the old name with the glorious victories over Nazi invaders. On days commemorating the anniversaries of specific events — including the defeat of the Nazi attack on the city, Victory in Europe day and the Japanese surrender — it will be known as “Hero City Stalingrad”.

The name, of course, is associated with the communist leader Josef Stalin. The current Russian leader Vladimir Putin, is big on reviving memories of Russia’s glorious past, including the years when Stalin ruled unchallenged. In that spirit, and with the Volgograd decision in mind, there are rumours that, for six days a year, Putin will be allowed to hold show trials, stage mass arrests, establish a network of gulags and create agricultural “collectives” at the loss of millions of lives.

It’s probably just a rumour, though.

National Post

PS: Volgograd has a population of more than 1 million. How many World War II veterans could there be? They must be a noisy group.

In the wake of a Grammy Awards ceremony that disappointed many, from Kanye West to the masses on Twitter lamenting the state of pop music, a historical perspective is key. Few are better poised to offer one than Andy Kim.